I am trying to figure out our schedule for 2017. I know we will probably play 11 games as usual (we never play 12). I know we play at South Carolina in Willy Brice in November. Here's what I know so far:

So we need two more games. Even though I don't like it, history tells me that one of those games will probably be a non D1 opponent at home. Hopefully that does not happen but I'm sure it will. THe other game will be an either an FCS opponent or another FBS. I think two FBS is too many personally. I hope we have a good FCS opponent for that final game and it would be really sweet is it could be at home and give us a sixth home game. Hopefully we have or we will set up nice home and home with a quality FCS opponent. If it were me, I'd try to schedule 2 FCS opponents and 1 FBS ever year out of conference, but then again I realize how hard it is to schedule non-conference games. Some FCS teams won't play us (particularly in Gibbs) due to a number of varied reasons, such as our option offense, mediocre stadium (compared to some other FCS schools) mediocre attendanc (compared to some other FCS schools) and the fact that we will be projected to have a very good team next year. Oh, and there's also travel expenses. Does anyone know anything regarding those last two schedule slots?

Especially if it's a decent CSU team (decent being the baseline, who knows how good they'll be next year). The playoff committee has shown that you really just need 6 D1 wins and a tough schedule to make the playoffs. If we finish 7-4 we make the playoffs I think

CSU would be a worthy OOC opponent. They will be good again next year, I believe, and would likely sign a home and home. My preference would be for something a little more diverse. I really enjoyed playing Tennessee Tech these last two years as they are a bit more distant. I think playing games like that a little further away and/or against less familiar foes is a benefit if we make the playoffs again. Ideally, I'd love to re-establish a permanent OOC home and home with PC (for old times sake, proximity and schedule consistency) and then schedule up something a little more aggressive for the other FCS OOC game (maybe a southern CAA or eastern OVC team). Time will tell, though. We'll probably end up with VA-Wise and G-W.

I seriously hope we don't schedule a Division II school again. Only advantages appear to be gaudy stats, a home game, and playing lots of reserves.I liked the recent two-game set with Tennessee Tech and the four game-set with Gardner-Webb. Competition was good/average and the travel was not that far.It seems like we should be able to pull games with other FCS schools based on their proximity, even if it is a non-scholly FCS program (Davidson, Campbell, Jacksonville). I think we were scheduled to play Jacksonville a few years back, correct?

I would love to see us play Patriot League (Georgetown, Lehigh, Lafayette, Bucknell) or Colonial Athletic (Richmond, William & Mary) schools that have similar academics to Wofford. PC tends to schedule 2, sometimes 3, FBS schools to keep their coffers full. I wonder if the coaching change there will bring about future games with Wofford.

I found this map interesting depicting the locations of the FCS schools. Just wonder how much proximity plays into scheduling a game.

That map is quite a striking reminder of how difficult it is to add members to a conference or change alignment. Scheduling has got to be a bear. RJ has been on the FCS Football Committee for awhile, and he knows everyone out there. I don't know what we have to pay a FCS program like those in the MEAC or Big South to come play us, but would imagine it is not a money maker.

The map shows that the SoCon is pretty clustered with the longest road trip between teams being Samford and VMI. I can't imagine the travel costs of the schools in the Big Sky or Missouri Valley conferences. It was fun watching San Diego, a non-scholly FCS school, play Cal Poly (win) and North Dakota State (lose) in the playoffs. Their nearest conference opponent in the Pioneer League is over 1,000 miles to the east. Ouch...

woffordgrad94 wrote:We could play Davidson. That would be just like playing an NAIA school but we would get credit of playing an FCS school.

1) Most NAIA schools would beat Davidson.2) There are only a few Pioneer schools in the South: Davidson, Campbell (for the time being), Stetson, and Jacksonville (they backed out on us a few years ago). There are a lot of schools in the Big South and SoCon, as well as OVC and CAA, competing for those games, and most would outbid us. Davidson did get paid for a whopping by the Citadel last year, but I think they would be hesitant to get stomped by little old Wofford and have to explain why larger Davidson is unable to play big boy football.